Ruiz & Smart represented Liam Powers, a high school senior wrongfully expelled by Seattle Public Schools after the District failed to follow its own procedures and violated Liam’s constitutional right to due process.
The case stemmed from a classroom conversation in which classmates teased Liam, saying he “looked like a school shooter.” When Liam responded sarcastically and posted a political satire meme following the Parkland tragedy, school administrators treated his speech as a credible threat—without investigation, without hearing his side of the story, and without following required protocols for threat assessments or expulsions.
Despite the lack of evidence, school officials permanently expelled Liam. They failed to provide timely notice, omitted required meetings, and ignored clear procedural safeguards—including those meant to protect students accused of safety threats. No effort was made to interview Liam before this life-altering decision.
Ruiz & Smart moved for summary judgment, and the federal court agreed: the District had violated Liam’s procedural due process rights. The evidence showed that had school officials complied with their own policies, they would have quickly concluded—as every other agency did—that Liam posed no threat.
After the court’s ruling, the case resolved for a total of $600,000. The amount was paid by the District and its officials without an admission of liability, and no appeal followed.
This result not only provided justice for Liam, who has since resumed his education, but also underscored the importance of due process in school discipline decisions—especially when the stakes include a student’s reputation, education, and future.